


[026.] Balm

by desmercia



Series: Desmercia's Attempt at the 100 Multifandom Challenge 2019 [4]
Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce, protector of the small
Genre: F/M, Gen, Minor Injuries, minor hurt/comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-11-05 02:24:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17910182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desmercia/pseuds/desmercia
Summary: "I'm fine, Mother Kel." Merric snorted without humour. Kel noted he had been doing that a lot in recent days.





	[026.] Balm

The rush of battle had yet to leave their beating hearts. Within the walls of Merric's room, the world felt still—suspended from the reality that waited outside. The fight had been an easy victory, but every brush with death was a step too close for Kel's nerves. Merric's too, it would seem.

She hovered behind the slumped form of Merric. He had tossed what little armour he'd been wearing onto the foot of his bed and dropped himself into a chair. His head held in his hands. Kel could see his shoulders were tensed; the fabric of his shirt turned see-through by sweat.

"You should see Neal." Kel said.

Merric shook his head. His hair was damp and turned a deep red. It pressed flatly against his nape.

"—'m fine," He mumbled.

Kel disagreed and placed a hand against his shoulder. She was careful not to apply pressure. "Fine, no Neal. I brought bruise balm for your back."

"I'm fine, Mother Kel." Merric snorted without humour. Kel noted he had been doing that a lot in recent days.

 _Would he ever outgrow this stubbornness?_ She wondered. She supposed Peachblossom had carried his with him for years upon years. She lifted her chin. "Are you keen to become a hunchback, then?"

Merric raised his head enough to send a withering stare at her reflection in the mirror. Perhaps he sees something—a flicker of emotion—in Kel's face because he concedes. He leans back slowly and pulls his sodden shirt over his head. His back is shades paler than his face but there's a large splash of red across his shoulder blades. It would mottle in the coming hours.

"Good man."

Merric's grin was sardonic. "I can only ignore you for so long," He said. "Lest you send me to the stocks."

Kel quirked her lips. "We don't have stocks."

As Kel began to smooth balm across his skin, Merric breathed, voice strained, "You'd make them specially for me."

"I'm not sure that's a good use of resources."

"You could chuck Neal in 'em too. Tobe could keep guard." His smile was a little less sarcastic and more boyish, like when they were still pages throwing bread sticks across tables.

"Well, now I may have to consider it." She teased back, thankful to have Merric cooperation, if only for a minute.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Kel/Merric so much, I can't explain it.


End file.
